Healthy bee hive—how to control varroa mites

Meet the varroa mites that are the scourge of bee hives around the world.

Varroa mites are out to get the bees in your hive.

A horrible (and relatively new) problem in the apian world, varroa mites can wipe out a hive in one season.

How to control varroa mites

In our new video Trica shows how to test for varroa mites and combat them. Most bees have no way to combat varroa mites, and that’s where you as the beekeeper need to take a hand. Defend your bees through a combination of controls such as good hygiene, monitoring, and—when necessary—naturally derived miticides.

Just take a look at some varroa mites sucking the life juices out of a bee. Want to fight back?

A biologist has beekeeping, and varroa-mite-fighting, advice

Randy Oliver is a local biologist and beekeeper here in Nevada County. His bee blog, Scientific Beekeeping, is full of buzz for beginners as well as longtime beekeepers. Take advantage of his decades of experience as a teacher and commercial beekeeper. We think you’ll enjoy and learn from his balanced approach.

What do you think of fogging the hives, once the honey is out but before they cluster, with mineral oil and 5 drops of essential wintergreen oil?
The fogging is done 3 times at one week intervals (so let’s say 3 Mondays in a row?) so as to disturb the mite’s reproductive cycle.
The proponents say it is entirely safe and natural. To boot, it is infinitely lest costly than Apiguard.

Charlotte from Peaceful Valley Says:

Aug 14th, 2013 at 1:42 pm

Cecile, We cannot comment on home remedies that have not been tested and registered as a pesticide for use in killing mites. I would say, though, that I have concerns about introducing mineral oil (a petroleum byproduct) into a hive.

naomi_lombardi@yahoo.com Says:

Mar 29th, 2014 at 9:58 am

Hi,
I need help with BIRD MItes in my tree, side of house, windows, roof and inside of my home. Infestation of bird mites, springtails, I cannot open my windows or my doors without them floating into my house, landing on the furniture, on my body. SOS, Naomi in Berkeley